Improvement in extension ladders



N.PETFRS. PHQTO-LITHOGRAPHER. )WASHINGTON C itnited gendre,

patent dtiiiiire.

Letters Patent No. 110,094, dated December vi3, i870.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXTENSION LADDERS.

The Schedule Vreferred to in these Letters Patent and making part of 'the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we. Tnou -\s WATsoN and CHARLES PERRY, both ofthe city of' Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New ork, have invented certain new land useful Improvements in Extension Ladders; and do hereby declare the followingtobe alfull, clear, and exact description thereof,- ret'erence being had to the accompanying drawiugand t0 the letters and figures thereon.

Of the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an extension ladder, containing our improvements;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.;

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal vertical section;

Figure 4 is a side elevation, with the ladder extended Figure 5 is across-section ofthe ladder, taken at Aert, iig. 4; and

' Figure 6 is a cross-section, taken at B-b, iig. 4.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The present inventions have more particular reference to improvements on an extension ladder described in certain other Letters 'Patent heretofore granted to us, viz: those bearing dat-e October 30, 1866, and those bea-ringdate `October 15, 1867.

Many 'parts that arelcom-mon to all will not, therefore, he again described.

The first 0T these improve-ments consists in a eonv struction of the base and elevating parts that gives greater security to the ladder while it is extended to the required length, and also permits of extending it with the aid of but very few assistants, two being'suiicient. Y e

-It also consists in the use of a new system or combination and arrangement of guys', which renders the ladder more iirm and rigid while extended, and prevents the members of the ladder from separating while vin such a position.

It also consists in a new attachment to each other of the two members ofthe ladder.

Ilt also consists in a new arrangement oi' the hoseree 1 r1he constructionand operation of these improved parts are as follows:

In each of the upper faces of the side-bars of" the truck a is placed a groove, in which runs the end of the two inclined bars b l), which connect hack to the crossbar c, to )which latter bar is attached a system` of guys, tobe present-ly described. f Inwai'dly-projecting'iianges,.cl d, at each side ofthe groove, for-m ways for the outwardly-projectingflanges at the end of the said inclined bars l b.

'At the connection oi these bars with the cross-bar c are bars c c, connecting at their other ends below with the extended or rear portion of the truck. This gives a solid and strong base for the whole weight of the ladders received through our new system oi' guys, no matter at what angle of elevation the ladders areplaced or distance they are extended out, throwing such weight over a large extent of the surface of the rea-r truck. y

At a small angle of elevation with the horizont-al plane, (and when the angle made by the guys with such plane is being diminished,) a portion of the weightv of the ladders is received on a forward structure coinposed of the cross-bar f, or ladder-rest, having two bars, q y, the lower ends of whichare attached to the forward part of the truck a, and have two oblique bars, h. le, attached at their upper eids, at or near to the cross-bar j', and at their lower ends to the lower ends of the bars l1 b.' I

This wholeframe-work, atthe back and front part of the rear truck a, receives its motion through a windlass and chain or rope, i, placed as shown in the draw;A

ing, or at any other convenient point on the base ot' the truck a.

Attached to the cross-bar c isa double system of guys, one sct,` 7` j, being xe'd and attached at their lower ends on the bar c, just inside of the inclined bars b b c c, and at their other ends to the outside of v the upper end ofthe lower member, lo, of the ladder.

rlhe other set of guys being movable are attached at some place on the cross-bar c, as the fixed ones, and extend up to the top of upper member, Z, oi' the ladder through eyes or over rollers, m, and down along the outside of the sidelbars of the ladder to the eyes or rollers n, placed at the lower end of such upper member, from whence' they cross over to the upper -part of the outside portion of the lower member ofthe ladder, and are there attached at the point of attachment of the upper ends of the stationary set of guys. l o Each member of the ladder used in this improved `apparatus'is about thirty-tive feet in length, thus giving, (the lap being allowed for at the junction of the 1nembers,) when at their greatest extension, an extension of about seventy feet. This length can be in lcreased by attaching at the enter end ofthe upper memb'eia socket-ladder of about twelve feet in length. This attains a suiiieient height for all practical purposes.

at the top of the lower member, and arouudover and down in front, and rigidly attached to encor more stout rings of the lower partei' the upper member, l. lllhus the operation of the windlass and chain carries the upper member out la1idin,tlie movable guy is let ont or taken up during the saine movement, and serves These members are extended by means of windlass `o, at theA .base-of the lower member, and an endless -ehain or rope running up back of and over a pulley/,1),

to support and sustain the upper member, and, from its arrangement before described, tends to bind the two members together.

The upper member, I, slides on metallic ways, q q q' q', placed on the upper faces of the two side-pieees/rir ef'the lower member la; and the lower faces of the sidepieces ofthe upper member Z, and'is connected thererying of hosepand pipe up the ladder, by simply attaching the hose to the lower portion of the tube before extending or elevating the ladder, and thus, with the aid of a hydrant, a stream of water can easily be thrown, in many localities, directly on a tire through a window or opening in a house. f

We arrange with our extension ladder a reel, `uvcar rying the hose necessary, by placing it`over the front truck and between or beneath the seats c lv'of the attendants, the ends ofthe members of the ladders passing over it and between such seats.

The arrangement of the base and ladders with respect to the rear truck permits of the detaching and operating the same with ease and facility, by the aid of at least two attendants. This is etl`ected by so adjusting the members ofthe ladder to the base-fi'ames, and the base-frames to the truck and axle, that all will turn and ope 'ate when detached from the forward truck as if their parts were hung and couuterpoised on a center pivot.

- \Ve construct the lower member 7; with the additional sides w w. 'lhis adds to, the strength and rigidity oi' both members.

Claims.

' l. The combination of the double system ol'7 guys with the members ot' the ladder, all operating substantially as described.

2. The combination of the double system 0i' guys with the inclined bars b b and c c, substantially as described. I

3. "he combination ot' the double system of guys with the members of the ladder and inclined bars b 'b and c e, operating,r substantially as described.

4. The arral'igement of ways and clip-pieces on and between the members of the ladder, substantially as described.

5. The inclined connecting-bars b b and In h at the front portion of the rear truck, and the bars c c and g g, incombination with the members of the ladder, substantially as described.

(5. The arrangementef the reel on the front truck, as described.

7. The arrangement ot' the members ofthe ladder relatively to the base and rear truck and to the axle thereof, described.

THOMAS TATSON (MIAS. PERRY.

Titnessesz EDWARD Irion, Jr., Grms. Woonwann, Jr. 

